On Sunday, Japan reported tremors originating from North Korea, evidence that Kim Jong Un's regime had successfully conducted their sixth nuclear test--this one ten times stronger than the previous test over a year ago. Pyongyang soon confirmed, claiming that they have developed a hydrogen bomb could fit in an intercontinental ballistic missile. And in response, Donald Trump, the president of off-the-cuff nuclear threats, chose to single out one of the closest U.S. allies in the region.

This comes a day after news broke that the White House is looking to kill a free trade deal with South Korea. While the move is opposed by even some of Trump's top aides, it's possible that the president is using the situation to coerce South Korea into renegotiating. Trump did run on the promise that he was a businessman and not a politician. And if you're the kind of businessman who thinks a good deal is one where you stiff the people who work for you, nuclear annihilation probably looks like a great negotiating lever.

Trump's talking point for a while now has been that the solution to tensions with North Korea is for China to step up and "do something," though a five minute-talk history talk with Chinese president Xi Jinping made him realize that real life was more complicated. But that moment of clarity was a long time ago, and Trump has now expanded that "just do something" attitude to South Korea. In fact, Trump had softer criticism on Sunday for China, saying that the country was "trying to help."

It's true that the liberal administration of South Korea's new president Moon Jae-In is trying to engage with the north in the hopes of deescalation, but most experts say this is far from "appeasement." Trump's making this criticism even as Moon is cooperating with the U.S. military to install a missile defense system, a move that puts the South Korean government in an uncomfortable position with China.

Regardless of how many minutes of attention the president has dedicated to the issue, it's hard to believe anyone takes threats from North Korea more seriously than people in South Korea. Especially considering Seoul would be devastated by any "fire and fury" launched at Pyongyang.

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